Toe lasting machines



April 1968 A. J. GILBRIDE 3,376,591

TOE LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 20, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 17712877101 And/"6w ZZGiZb/"Z'dG 3 his Azzorney B ELM-wwfi'ayu/ April 9, 1968 A. J. GILBRIDE TOE LASTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 20, 1966 April 9, 1968- A. J. GILBRIDE TOE LASTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 20, 1966 a g in April 1968 A. J. GI'LBRIDE 3,376,591

TOE LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 20, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A. J. GILBRIDE TOE LASTING MACHINES April 9, 1968 Filed Jan. 20, 1966 Unite ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLOSURE A machine having a support moving a shoe between a remote position and a position located by gauges where the toe end of the shoe is automatically lasted.

This invention relates to toe lasting machines and is herein illustrated as embodied in a automatic toe lasting machine which, in many respects, is similar to the illustrative machine disclosed in US. Letters Patent No. 3,076,209 issued Feb. 5, 1963, on an application filed in the name of the present inventor. It will be understood, of course, that features of the invention are of broad utility and not limited to embodiment in an automatic toe lasting machine of that particular type or to the exact mechanism construction herein shown.

In operating automatic toe lasting machines, for example, of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Gilbride patent, the shoe is presented to the machine and properly positioned therein, relatively to the lasting instrumeutalities, manually by the operator who then holds the shoe in this position until it is clamped against a holddown by a power operated toe rest in response to the actuation of a suitable control member. Next, the operator initiates an automatic operating cycle of the machine during which the upper is shaped to the toe end of the last and its lasting margin wiped inwardly over and pressed against the toe end of the insole. The operator then actuates a control member to lower the toe rest and release the shoe for removal from the machine. Thus, although the lasting operation is effected more or less automatically, the operator still is required manually to present the shoe to the machine, to exercise considerable skill in placing it in the proper position, to cause the shoe to be released and also to be ready to take hold of it when the toe rest is lowered at the end of the operating cycle.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a novel and improved toe lasting machine in the use of which the foregoing manipulations on the part of the operator are avoided thus greatly reducing the degree of skill and labor needed in its use and rendering the ma chine more readily adaptable to automation.

With this object in view and in accordance with features of this invention, the herein illustrated toe lasting machine, which has a holddown, a power operated toe rest for clamping a shoe, comprising an upper assembled on a last with an insole, against the holddown, power operated lasting instrumentalitics for shaping the upper around the toe end of the last and for thereafter wiping the lasting margin inwardly over and pressing it against the toe end of the insole in an automatic operating cycle, a toe gauge for locating the toe end of a shoe widthwise and lengthwise relatively to the lasting instrumentalities and a pair of side gauges for locating the forepart of the shoe laterally with its center line in alignment with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities, is provided with a shoe supporting device movable from an inoperative position in which a shoe thereon is remote from the lasting instrumentalities, to an operative position in which the toe end of the shoe is in engagement with States Patent the toe gauge and with said side gauges and with power operated means for moving the supporting device to and from the mentioned positions. More particularly in accordance with other features of the invention, control means are provided for the power operated toe rest and the power operated lasting instrumentalities arranged first to cause the toe rest to clamp the shoe against the toe holddown, next to initiate an automatic operating cycle of the lasting instrumentalities and finally to cause the toe rest to release the shoe, together with means operable in response to the engagement of the toe end of a shoe presented to the machine with the toe gauge for actuating the control means. Also, in accordance with still another feature of the invention, the shoe supporting device includes a table mounted for arcuate movement in a vertical plane to present a shoe thereon to the machine and in a horizontal plane to permit alignment of the forepart center line with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities and a shoe supporting member loosely mounted on the table for free floating movement with the shoe as it is clamped against the holddown by the toe rest. Accordingly when a shoe has been placed on the shoe supporting device, manually or otherwise, upon actuation of a single control member associated with the power means for moving the shoe supporting device, the shoe will be automatically presented to the machine, positioned with respect to the lasting instrumentalities, clamped against the holddown, its toe end lasted, released by the toe rest and withdrawn from the machine for removal, manually or otherwise, without any attention required on the part of the operator.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, and will "be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a toe lasting machine embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, at a somewhat enlarged scale, of a portion of the machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 4-8 are step views showing the toe end of a shoe in the machine and illustrating the different positions assumed by the various operating elements during the operating cycle of the machine;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a portion of the machine, and

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the several fluid pressure operated members and associated control valves provided for actuating the operating elements of the machine.

Referring to these drawings, as suggested above, the toe lasting machine therein illustrated is generally similar to the machine disclosed in (1.5. Letters Patent No. 3,076,- 209, issued Feb. 5, 1963 on an application filed in the name of the present inventor. Thus, this machine has a holddown 20 against which the toe end of a shoe, comprising an upper U assembled on a last L, together with an insole I, is clamped by a toe rest 22, FIGS. 1, 2, 4-9, and a heel band 24, adapted to be brought into engagement with the heel end of the shoe to hold the shoe against heelward movement during the toe lasting operation, FIGS. 1 and 2 and see broken lines in FIG. 3. As in the patented machine, the lasting instrumentalities of the herein illustrated machine include a pair of toe wipers 30, 30, a toe band 32, a distributor or retarder 34 and an insole holddown 36. In addition, the machine is provided with a toe gauge 40 and two side gauges 42, 42 for locating the shoe in the proper position, as it is presented to the machine automatically, before the toe rest 22 is operated to clamp the shoe against the holddown 20. The mentioned operating elements and shoe supporting parts are mounted on a fabricated frame construction, indicated generally by the reference character 58 on which there is pivotally mounted a table 52.

The wipers 30, 30, which are associated with a wiper head 60 are adapted to be advanced and closed by earn actuated mechanism generally similar to that provided in the machine of the Gilbride patent having an operating rod 62, FIG. 3. This wiper operating mechanism is not shown in detail inasmuch as it forms no part of the present invention and it will be sufficient here to state that the wipers 30, 30, shown in FIGS. 27 in their retracted positions, will be advanced and closed, FIG. 8, as a result of movement of the operating rod 62 to the right, FIG. 3, such movement being effected by means of a piston 64, FIGS. 1 and 10, contained within a cylinder 66. The wiper head 50 is supported for rocking movement about a longitudinal axis upon the table 52 by means of a bearing block 67 in which a grally formed with the wiper head, is rotably mounted. A pair of compression springs 70, 70, FIG. 1, are arranged to engage a stud 69, FIG. 3, projecting from the bearing portion 68, thus to hold the wiper head yieldingly in a generally horizontal position while permitting a selfleveling action of the wipers laterally on the bottom of the shoe being lasted.

The toe band 32 and its operating mechanism is likewise similar to that of the machine of the Gilbride patent, and

see also US. Patent No. 2,986,753, issued June 6, 1961,

on an application filed in the name of the present inventor for further details. Thus, the toe band is associated with two arms 80, 80, FIG. 3, corresponding to the arms 94, 94 in FIG. 18 of Patent No. 3,076,209, which are mounted on the wiper head 60 and connected to an equalizing lever 82, mounted on an operating lever 84. A coil spring 86 normally holds the toe band in open and retracted position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, while a piston 88 having a piston rod 90 and contained within a cylinder 92, see also FIG. 10, is arranged to actuate the lever 84 thus to advance and close the toe band in the manner set forth in the last mentioned patent. As in the prior arrangement, a piston 100 and cylinder 102, FIGS. 1 and 10, are also provided and arranged to apply pres sure at the opposite sides of the toe and of the toe hand, through suitable lever mechanisms. Accordingly, when fluid under pressure is admitted to cylinder 92, through a conduit 104 and a pilot operated valve 106, and to cylinder 102 through a conduit 108 and a pilot operated valve 110, the toe band 32 will be advanced from its retracted and open position to the operative and closed position shown in FIGS. 4-8 in a manner which will be readily understood by reference to the mentioned patents.

The retarder, or distributor, indicated generally by the reference character 34, includes a central portion 120, FIG. 3, and two side portions 122, 122. The central portion 120 is fixed to a slide 124, FIG. 2, which is mounted for sliding movement on the lower side of a platform 126 which is pivotally supported on the frame 50 to swing about the same horizontal axis as the wiper head table 52. Each side portion 122, 122 is carried on the inner end of an arm 130, pivoted on the slide 124 at its outer end, and a pair of coil springs 132, 132 tend to separate the side portions 122, 122 to the extent determined by two fixed cam members 134, 134 mounted on the platform 126. Connected to the slide 124 by means of a lever 136 is the rod of a piston 138 which is contained within a cylinder 140, FIGS. 1, 2 and 10.

Also mounted on the slide 124, at its front end is a bracket 142 which carries a cylinder 144 in which there is received a piston 146, FIGS. 1 and 10. This piston is connected to a member 148 which is slidably mounted in the front end of the slide 124 and which carries at its lower end the insole holddown member 36 which, as can be seen in FIG. 3, comprises two arcuately shaped arms bearing portion 68, inte- 150, 150. Connected to one side of the platform 126 is the rod of a piston 162 which is received within a cylinder 164, FIGS. 1 and 10. A stop sleeve (not shown) within this cylinder limits upward movement of the piston 162 and also, of course, of the platform 126 to the position in which it is shown in FIG. 1 when pressure fluid is admitted to the lower portion of the cylinder 164 through a conduit 166 and exhausted from the opposite end of this cylinder through a conduit 168.

The toe rest 22 is mounted on the upper end of a post 170 which is slidable in a bearing block 172, associated with the frame 50, and connected at its lower end to the rod 174 of a piston 176, contained within a cylinder 178, FIGS. 1 and 10. This cylinder is secured to a bracket member 180, fastened to the frame construction 50, and mounted on this bracket is another cylinder 184 containing a piston 186. Associated with the post 170, but not shown in detail herein, is a locking mechanism exactly like that disclosed and described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 3,076,209, referred to above, see especially FIGS. 12 and 13 of the patent drawings, the cylinder 184 and piston 186 of the herein illustrated machine corresponding to cylinder 314 and piston 316 of the mentioned patent. It will be understood that when pressure fluid is admitted to the lower portion of the cylinder 184 through a conduit 188, the piston 186 will be elevated, against the resistance of a return spring 190, FIG. 10, to act through the mentioned locking mechanism to lock the post 170 and toe rest 22 against downward movei ment. The conduit 188 is connected to a conduit 192 i through a sequence valve 194 while a conduit 196 connects the lower end of the cylinder 178 to the conduit 192. As will presently appear, when a shoe has been presented to the machine by means of an automatic loading device to be described below, a valve 200 will be opened, against the resistance of a return spring 201, to admit pressure fluid from a main pressure line 202 to a pilot line 204 thus shifting a pilot operated valve 206 to a position in which conduit 192 is connected to the main pressure line through a conduit 208 while another conduit 210 is connected to exhaust. When this occurs, the toe rest will be moved upwardly to clamp the toe end of the shoe against the shoe rest or holddown 20, by the upward movement of piston 176. As pressure now builds up in conduit 192, sequence valve 194 will open and piston 186 will be elevated to lock the toe rest against downward movement.

The heel band 24, which is of conventional construction and therefore need not be described in detail, is carried by two operating rods 220, 220, FIG. 2. These rods, which correspond to the operating rods 332, 332 of the machine shown in Gilbride Patent No. 3,076,209, are slidably mounted in the frame construction and are arranged to be moved to bring the heel band into engagement with the heel end of a shoe in the machine, as shown in FIG. 3, by means of a piston 230 contained within a 1 cylinder 232, FIGS. 1 and 10.- This cylinder is supported on the frame construction by means of a bracket 234 to which there is fastened a ratchet member 236. The rod 238 of the piston 230 is slidable within a bore formed in a block 240, carried by a cross piece connected to the two rods 220, 220, and has threaded on its extreme outer end a nut 242. Pivotally mounted on the block 240 is a pawl member 24-4 adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet member 236, thus to hold the heel band firmly against the heel end of a shoe in the machine. This pawl and ratchet mechanism operates exactly in the same manner as that shown in the mentioned Gilbride patent, see FIG. 3 thereof, and it will be sufficient here to state that when pressure is admitted to the right hand end of the cylinder 232, FIG. 1 (lower end as shown in FIG. 10) through a conduit 250, and exhausted from the op-- posite end of this cylinder through the conduit 210, the heel band will be moved into engagement with the heel end of the shoe and the pawl 244 will be released to the action of an operating spring 246 and will engage the ratchet member 236 thus to hold the heel band firmly in position against the shoe. On the other hand, when pressure fluid is admitted to the left hand end of the cylinder 232, through conduit 210 and exhausted from its opposite end through conduit 250, the pawl will be moved out of engagement with the ratchet member and the heel band 24 will be retracted to the idle position in which it is shown in FIG. 1.

Connected to the table 52, on which the wiper head 60 is mounted, is the rod 260 of a piston 262 contained within a cylinder 264, FIGS. 1 and 10. When pressure fluid is exhausted from the lower portion of this cylinder, below the piston 262, through a conduit 266 and a pilot operated valve 268, the table will be moved to the lowered position in which it is shown in FIG. 1 and as determined by the engagement of a stop screw 270 with a fixed portion of the frame construction 50. On the other hand, when the valve 268 is shifted to admit pressure fluid to the conduit 266 from the main pressure line 262 through a conduit 272 and pressure regulator valve 273 and at the same time to connect a conduit 274, leading to the upper end of the cylinder 264, to exhaust through a direction valve 276 and a conduit 278, the table 52 will be swung in a counterclockwise direction, FIG. 1, by the piston 262, thus elevating the wiper head 60, wipers 30, 30 and toe band 32, carried by the wiper head. As will presently appear, during such upward movement of the Wiper head the toe band 32 will wipe and shape the toe end of the upper around the toe end of the last, FIGS. 6 and 7, and the wipers 30, 30 will be brought into the proper wiping plane as upward movement is terminated by a suitable stop, not shown, associated with the piston 262. As such upward movement of the table 52 is completed, the plunger 298 of a valve 300, carried by the table, engages a stop member 301, mounted on the frame, and is shifted, against the resistance of a return spring 302, FIG. 10, to a position to admit pressure fluid to the left hand pilot of a pilot operated valve 304, thus shifting this valve to a position to admit pressure fluid from the main pressure line 202 to a conduit 306 leading to the cylinder 66 behind the piston 64. As explained above, movement of this piston to the right, FIGS. 1 and 2, causes the wipers 30, 30 to be advanced and closed, thereby wiping the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over the toe end of the last in the manner illustrated in FIG. 8. As shown in this figure of the drawings, the insole holddown 36 is pivotally mounted on the member 148 so that it can be pushed rearwardly and upwardly by the advancing wipers.

As the wipers are thus advanced and closed, a cam 310 acts on the plunger 312 of a pressure regulator valve 314, FIGS. 2 and 3, and see also FIG. 10 in which this valve is diagrammatically illustrated, causing operating fluid at progressively increasing pressure to be admitted to the conduit 274 and thence to the cylinder 264 above the piston 262, through a pilot operated valve 316 and a conduit 318 leading from the main pressure line 202. The pressure regulator 273 is set to limit pressure of the fluid in conduit 272 to a relatively low value. Thus, as the Wipers advance and close they are caused to exert an increasing downward force on the lasting margin of the upper, the increased pressure of fluid acting on top of piston 262 now exceeding that acting on its lower surface. A conduit 320 leads from the conduit 306, through a flow control valve 322, to a timing cylinder 324 in which there is a piston 326 having a piston rod 328 which is directly in line with a plunger of a valve 330, FIG. 10. As pressure fluid slowly enters the cylinder 324 through the flow control valve 322, the piston 326 will move slowly in cylinder 324 and eventually its rod 328 will engage and shift the valve 330 to a position to admit pressure fluid from the main pressure line 202 to a conduit 340, having a number of branches as shown in FIG. 10. Accordingly, the wipers,

after they have completed their advancing and closing movements, will apply a bedding down pressure of an intensity determined by the pressure regulator valve 3-14 for a predetermined interval and until the valve 330 is shifted.

Referring again to the distributor 34 and the insole holddown 36, the conduit 166 is connected to a conduit 350, leading from the main pressure line 202, through a pilot operated spring return valve 352, while the conduit 168 is connected to exhaust through this same valve, a direction valve 354 and a pressure regulator valve 356. A branch from conduit 188 leads to a conduit 355 leading to the pilot of a valve 352. When the sequence valve 194, referred to above, opens after the toe rest 22 has been elevated to clamp the toe end of a shoe against the holddown 20 and the heel clamp 24 moved in against the heel end of the shoe, in the manner as explained above, the valve 352 will be shifted to connect the conduit 166 to exhaust and to admit operating fluid under a pressure determined by a pressure regulator valve 356 to the upper end of the cylinder 164 thereby causing piston 162 to swing the table 126 downwardly and to bring the distributor 34 into engagement with the insole at the toe end of the shoe as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 under a relatively low pressure as determined by valve 356. When the table 126 reaches this lowered position, a valve 360 will be shifted, against the resistance of its return spring 362, thereby admitting pressure fluid to the left hand end of a pilot operated valve 364. This valve now is shifted to a position to admit pressure fluid to a conduit 366 and to the outer end of the cylinder 140 while connecting a conduit 368, leading from the other end of the cylinder, to exhaust. The piston 138 within a cylinder 140 will now be operated to move the slide 124 to the left, FIG. 2 (upwardly FIG. 10), thereby causing the distributor 34 to move to the position shown in FIG. 6 while the side portions 122, 122 move forwardly and outwardly thus to spread the lasting margin of the upper out over and to clamp it against the wipers. Preferably, and as shown in FIGS. 4-8, the central distributor portion 120 is shaped to serve as a tack puller and as it moves from the position shown in FIG. 4 to that shown in FIG. 6 it will pull the toe tack t in the manner illustrated.

As movement of the slide 124 is terminated by engagement of the lever 136 with a stop screw 370, FIG. 1, the plunger of a valve 380 will be shifted by engagement with an abutment screw 371, against the resistance of a return spring 382, to a position to admit pressure fluid from the main line 202 to the right hand pilot of a pilot operated valve 384. This valve will now be shifted to a position to admit pressure fluid to the pilots of the two pilot operated spring return valves 106, 1 10, to a third pilot operated spring return valve 394 which opens to admit pressure fluid from the main supply line 202 to the conduit 168, and to a conduit 396 leading, through a pressure regulating valve 398, to the insole holddown cylinder 146. The distributor is now held firmly against the upper while the insole holddown bears on the insole with a lighter pressure.

As indicated above, the shifting of the pilot operated valves 106 and causes the toe band to move to its operating position, as shown in FIG. 4, and as a result of such movement a valve 400 will be shifted, against the resistance of a return spring 402, to a position to admit pressure fluid from the main line 202, to the pilot of the pilot operated return valve 268, referred to above. As the result of the shifting of this valve, the upwiping operation is initiated. It will, therefore, be understood that as the result of the shifting of the valve 200, a shoe in the machine will first be clamped against the holddown or shoe rest 20 by the toe rest 22, and the heel band 24 brought into engagement with the heel end of the shoe, whereupon an automatic operating cycle of the toe lasting machine Will be initiated. During this automatic operating cycle the upper material at the toe end of the shoe will be wiped upwardly of, and shaped to the toe end of the last by the action of the toe band and at the same time these upper materials will be tensioned around the last by the action of the upwardly moving wipers 30, and the distributor 34, and the lasting margin of the tensioned upper materials will be wiped inwardly over and pressed against the toe end of the insole by the wipers and then subjected to bedding down pressure for a predetermined time interval at the conclusion of which the valve 330 will be opened to admit pressure fluid to the conduit 340 and its several branches.

For automatically presenting a shoe to the machine and to the toe and side gauges, for positioning the toe end thereof, relatively to the lasting instrumentalities, the following arrangement is provided. Mounted for pivotal movement, by means of four parallel arms 420, 420, FIG. 1, is a table 422 and loosely supported on this table for free floating movement, see FIG. 9, by means of four headed studs 424, 424, which pass downwardly through clearance holes 426, 426, in the table, is a plate 428. In addition to the action of gravity, four relatively light coil springs 430, 430 interposed between the heads of the studs and the lower side of the table, tend to hold the plate down on the table. A conical boss 432, formed integrally with the plate 428 is adapted to enter a conical recess 434, formed in the table thus to center the plate when it is permitted to rest freely on the table. Attached to the upper side of the plate by means of a dovetail 436 is a block 438 which carries at its upper end a last pin 440 and a pair of lugs 442, 442, FIG. 3, adapted to engage positioning surfaces associated with the shoe lasts. When, as shown in FIG. 1, a shoe on a last L is placed on the above-described loading device, the pin 440 will enter the last pin hole while the lugs 442, 442 will engage surfaces on a plate associated with the cone of the last to hold the shoe in the angular position shown in FIG. 3.

The arms 420, 420 are mounted for pivotal movement on a block 450 which in turn is mounted on the frame construction for pivotal movement about a vertical axis by means including a spindle 452 and a supporting bracket 454, for a purpose that will presently appear. Extending between and pivotally mounted on two of the arms 420, 420, is :a bracket 460 which carries a cylinder 462 within which there is a piston 464 having a piston rod 466. This piston rod is connected to a swivel member 468 mounted on the bearing block 172 referred to above. When the machine is at rest, the space at the upper end of the cylinder 462. FIGS. 1 and 10, is connected to exhaust through a conduit 470, a pilot operated spring return valve 472 and a manualy operable valve Y 474, while the opposite end of the cylinder 462 is connected to the main pressure line 202 through a conduit 476 and the valve 474 thus causing the parts to assume the loading position shown in FIG. 1. When the device is in this loading position, the weight of the various parts tends to hold it in a generally centered position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The valve 474 has an operating handle 478, FIG. 1, and when it is shifted to a position to connect the conduit 470 to the main pressure line and the conduit 476 to exhaust, the table 422, plate 428 and the shoe mounted on the block 438 will be swung upwardly and to the left as viewed in FIG. 1.

As the shoe approaches the position in which it is shown in FIG. 3, its forepart will engage the two side gauges 42, 42, while its toe end will contact the toe gauge 40. The toe gauge is V-shaped, as shown in FIG. 3, and thus centers the extreme toe end of the shoe. Each side gauge 42 is carried on one arm of a C-shaped lever 500 which is pivotally mounted on the wiper head and these two levers are carried together by means of intermeshing gear teeth 502, 504. A coil spring 506 tends to swing these levers in directions to move these side gauges toward each other, to an extent limited by a stop pin 508. As these side gauges are forced apart by the advancing forepart of the shoe, they move equally and in opposite directions, thus centering the forepart of the shoe laterally with respect to the wipers and in combination with the centering :action of the toe gauge, also aligning the forepart center line with the longitudinal center line of the wipers, whether it be a right shoe or a left shoe, the loading device as a whole pivoting freely on the vertical axis of the spindle 452 to permit such alignment.

The toe gauge 40 is carried by a slide 510 which is slidably mounted in :a guideway 512 formed in a part of the forepart head 60 and has a rounded end 514 adapted to engage an abutment member 516 carried by an arm 518, FIG. 3. This arm is pivotally mounted at one end on a swivel block 520 supported on the wiper head while its other end is in line with the plunger 522 of the valve 200, referred to above, which plunger has a limited and predetermined amount of movement to the left as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, after the toe end of the shoe engages the toe gauge 40 it continues to move the toe gauge a short distance to the left, see dotted and solid line positions of the toe gauge in sistance of a return spring 524, until movement is terminated with the parts in the positions shown in solid lines in FIGS. 3 and 5. Such movement of the plunger shifts the valve 200 to connect the conduit 204 to the main pressure line which, as is explained above, will cause the shoe to be clamped against the shoe rest by means of the upwardly moving toe rest, the heel band to come in against the heel end of the shoe and will initiate an auto 1 matic operating cycle of the machine. As the toe rest moves upwardly to clamp the toe end of the shoe against the holddown, valve 472 will be shifted, against the resistance of its return spring, by pressure of the operating fluid in conduit 192, to connect conduit 470 to exhaust. Since conduit 476 is, at this time, also connected to exhaust, no restraint is imposed on the shoe as it is being clamped against the holddown by the toe rest, see FIG. 9.

The conduit 355, referred to above, also leads to the space in a cylinder 600, FIGS. 3 and 10, in which there.

is a piston 602. This piston hasa rod 604 which is located directly beneath the end of the arm 518. When the sequence valve 194 opens the piston 602 will be elevated and in moving upward its rod will lift the .arm beyond the valve plunger 522. The toe gauge released for rearward movement, i.e., to the left as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6 by the distributor 34. A coil spring 606 is arranged to move the piston 602 downwardly at a later point in the operating cycle, when the conduit 355 I is connected to exhaust, through the sequence valve 194,

conduit 192 and the valve 206. Accordingly, when at the end of the operating cycle of the toe lasting machine,

the shoe is withdrawn from the machine by the loading device, in a manner about to be explained, the toe gauge 40 will be returned to its initial position, see broken line, FIG. 3, by the spring 524. A coil spring 608 will now swing the arm 518 in a clockwise direction and against a fixed stop 610, in which position the .arm is free to drop down in front of the plunger 522 of the valve 200 when the conduit 355 is connected to exhaust.

As explained above, at the end of a predetermined time interval, during which the wipers 30, 30 are exerting a bedding down pressure on the overwiped lasting margin, see FIG. 8, the valve 330 .will be opened to admit pressure fluid from the main pressure supply line 202 to the conduit 340. The stop member 301, which is associated with the valve 300 is pivotally mounted on the frame 50,

FIG. 3, and a coil spring 620 is arranged to hold this stop member yieldingly in the position shown in engagement with the rod 622 of a piston 624 and in linewith the plunger 298 of the valve ,300. This piston is contained within a cylinder 626, FIGS. 3 and 10, to which one branch of the conduit 340tis connected. Another branch of this conduit leads to the right hand pilot of the valve 304 and to the left hand pilot of a double pilot valve 630, while a third branch leads to the right hand FIG. 3, against the re- 4 40 will now be pilot of the valve 316, referred to above. Thus, this latter valve will now be shifted to connect the conduit 274 to exhaust, thereby discontinuing the bedding down pressure of the wipers and as the stop member 301 is moved out of alignment with the plunger 298 by the piston 624, the spring 302 will return the valve 300 to its original position connecting the left hand pilot of the valve 304 to exhaust. This valve is now shifted back to its original position by pressure fluid admitted to its right hand pilot through a branch of the conduit 340. A coil spring, not shown, associated with the piston 64 now retracts and opens the wipers 30, 30:

When the wipers have been fully retracted, a screw 640 carried by the wiper operating rod 62, FIG. 3, will engage the plunger 642 of a valve 644, see also FIG. 10. Pressure fluid will now flow through the valve 630, shifted by pressure fluid admitted to its left hand pilot through the conduit 340 and valve 644 to a pilot line 650. Pressure fluid in this line will reset the valves 316, 364 and 206. As the valve 206 is reset conduits 192, 250 and 355 will be connected to exhaust, while conduit 210 is connected to the main pressure line 202, so that the toe rest is unlocked and lowered, the heel rest retracted and valve 352 returned to its original position by its associated spring, thus to cause the platform 126 to be elevated, carrying with it the distributor 334 and the insole holddown 336. As the platform moves upwardly valve 360 will be released for return to its original position by its spring 362 so that the piston 138 is returned to the position shown and releases the valve 380 for return to its original position by spring 382. Now the valve 384 is reset as are also valves 394, 106 and 110, by their respective springs, thus causing the toe band to be retracted which releases a valve 400 for return by its spring. Table 52 will now swing downwardly and the operating cycle will be completed with all the parts of the toe lasting machine returned to their original positions.

The valve 474 has a pilot which is connected by a conduit 700 and a valve 702 to a branch of the conduit 210, FIG. 10. When the shoe loading device is in its loading position, FIG. 1, an abutment 704, mounted on two of the arms 420, holds the valve in the position shown and with conduit 700 connected to exhaust. When the loading device moves to present a shoe thereon to the lasting instrumentalities, this valve will be shifted by a spring 706 to connect the conduit 700 to a branch of the conduit 210. Thus, when the conduit 210 is connected to the main pressure line through the conduit 208 upon the resetting of the valve 206, the valve 474 will be automatically returned to its original position in which pressure fluid is admitted through the conduit 476 to the outer end of the cylinder 462, thereby causing the loading device to be returned to its loading position. The toe lasted shoe is now removed, replaced by another and valve 474 actuated to initiate another cycle of operations of the loading device and toe lasting machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A toe lasting machine having a holddown, a toe rest movable to clamp the toe end of a shoe, comprising an upper assembled on a last together with an insole, against the holddown, lasting instrumentalities for shaping the upper to the toe end of the last and for thereafter wiping the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over and pressing it against the toe end of the insole, a toe gauge for locating the toe end of the shoe widthwise and lengthwise relatively to the lasting instrumentalities, a pair of side gauges for locating the forepart of the shoe laterally with its center line in alignment with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities, a shoe supporting device movable from an inoperative position in which a shoe thereon is remote from the lasting instrumentalities to an operative position in which the toe end of the shoe is in engagement with said toe gauge and said side gauges, said device also being movable widthwise of the lasting instrumentalities as the shoe engages said side gauges, power means for so moving said device to and from positions, and power means for thereafter moving the toe rest to clamp the toe end of the shoe against the holddown.

2. A toe lasting machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shoe supporting device includes a table movable to present the shoe to the machine and a shoe supporting member loosely mounted on the table for free floating movement with the shoe when it is clamped against the holddown by the toe rest.

3. A toe lasting machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shoe supporting device includes a table mounted for arcuate movement in a vertical plane to present the shoe to the machine and in a horizontal plane to permit alignment of the forepart center line of the shoe with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities and a shoe supporting member loosely mounted on the table for free floating movement with the shoe as it is clamped against the holddown by the toe rest.

4. A toe lasting machine having a holddown, a toe rest movable to clamp the toe end of a shoe, comprising an upper assembled on a last together with an insole, presented to the machine against the holddown, lasting instrumentalities for shaping the upper to the toe end of the last and for thereafter wiping the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over and pressing it against the toe end of the insole, a toe gauge for locating the toe end of the shoe widthwise and lengthwise relatively to the lasting instrumentalities, a pair of side gauges for locating the forepart of the shoe laterally with its center line in alignment with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities, a shoe supporting device movable from an inoperative position in which a shoe thereon is remote from the lasting instrumentalities to an operative position in which the toe end of the shoe is in engagement with said toe gauge and said side gauges, said device also being movable widthwise of the lasting instrumentalities as the shoe engages said side gauges, power means for so moving said device to and from said positions, power means for thereafter moving the toe rest to clamp the toe end of the shoe against the holddown, and means responsive to the engagement of the toe end of a shoe with the toe gauge for setting said last-named power means in operation.

5. A toe lasting machine as set forth in claim 4, wherein said shoe supporting device includes a table movable to present the shoe to the machine and a shoe supporting member loosely mounted on the table for free floating movement with the shoe when it is clamped against the holddown by the toe rest.

6. A toe lasting machine as set forth in claim 4, wherein said shoe supporting device includes a table mounted for arcuate movement in a vertical plane to present the shoe to the machine and in a horizontal plane to permit alignment of the forepart center line of the shoe with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities and a shoe supporting member loosely mounted on the table for free floating movement with the shoe as it is clamped against the holddown by the toe rest.

7. A toe lasting machine having a holddown, a toe rest movable to clamp the toe end of a shoe, comprising an upper assembled on a last together with an insole, against the holddown, lasting instrumentalities for shaping the toe end of the upper around the toe end of the last and for thereafter wiping the lasting margin inwardly over and for pressing it against the toe end of the insole, power means for moving the toe rest, power means for actuating said lasting instrumentalities in an automatic operating cycle, a toe gauge for locating the toe end of a shoe presented to the machine in widthwise and lengthwise directions, a pair of side gauges for locating the forepart of the shoe laterally with its center line in alignment with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities,

a shoe supporting device adapted to receive a shoe and movable first to present a shoe thereon to the machine with its toe end in engagement with the toe gauge and said side gauges and thereafter to remove the shoe from the machine, said device also being movable widthwise of the lasting instrumentalities as the shoe engages said side gauges, control means associated with said two power operated means arranged first to cause the toe rest to clamp the shoe against the holddown, next to initiate an automatic operating cycle of the toe lasting instrumentalities and finally to cause the toe rest to move away from the holddown to release the shoe, and means operable in response to the engagement of the toe end of a shoe on the shoe supporting device with the toe gauge for actuating said control means, and power means for moving said shoe supporting device.

8. A toe lasting machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said shoe supporting device includes a table movable to present the shoe to the machine and a shoe supporting member loosely mounted on the table for free floating movement with the shoe when it is clamped against the holddown by the toe rest,

9. A toe lasting machine as set forth in claim 7 whereing said shoe supporting device includes a table mounted for arcuate movement in a vertical plane to present the shoe to the machine and in a horizontal plane to permit alignment of the forepart center line of the shoe with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities, and a shoe supporting member loosely mounted on the table for free floating movement with the shoe as it is clamped against the holddown by the toe rest.

10. A toe lasting machine having a holddown, a toe rest movable to clamp the toe end of a shoe, comprising an upper assembled on a last together with an insole, against the holddown, lasting instrumentalities for shaping the toe end of the upper around the toe end of the last and for thereafter wiping the lasting margin inwardly over and for pressing it against the toe end of the insole, power means for moving the toe rest, power means for actuating said lasting instrumentalities in an automatic operating cycle, a toe gauge for locating the toe end of a shoe presented to the machine in widthwise and lengthwise directions, a pair of side gauges for locating the forepart of the shoe laterally with its center line in alignment with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities, a

shoe supporting device adapted to receive a shoe and movable first to present a shoe thereon to the machine with its toe end in engagement with the toe gauge and said side gauges and thereafter to remove the shoe from the machine, control means associated with said two power 0perated means arranged first to cause the toe rest to clamp the shoe against the holddown, next to initiate an automatic operating cycle of the toe lasting instrumentalities and finally to cause the toe rest to move away from the holddown to release the shoe, and means operable in response to the engagement of the toe end of a shoe supporting device with the toe gauge for actuating said control means, power means for moving said shoe supporting device, means for controlling the operation of said last-named power means including a control member movable in one direction to cause the device to present a shoe thereon to the machine, and a fluid pressure means for moving said member in the opposite direction to cause said device to Withdraw the shoe from the machine.

11. A toe lasting machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein said shoe supporting device includes a table movable to present the shoe to the machine and a shoe supporting member loosely mounted on the table for free floating movement with the shoe when it is clamped against the holddown by the toe rest.

12. A toe lasting machine as Set forth in claim 11, wherein said shoe supporting device includes a table mounted for arcuate movement in a vertical plane to present the shoe to the machine and in a horizontal plane to permit alignment of the forepart center line of the shoe with the longitudinal center line of the lasting instrumentalities and a shoe supporting member loosely mounted on the table for free floating movement with the shoe as it is clamped against the holddown by the toe rest.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,446,330 8/1948 Holmgren 128.8 3,005,216 10/1961 Deschenes 12-126 X 3,076,209 2/1963 Gilbride 12-8.8 3,086,230 4/1963 Clark et al. 12-127 X PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

shoe on the 

